Sennheiser HD 599 Review | 93 Data compared

The Sennheiser HD 599 is an open-back, over-ear headphone praised for its wide, stadium-like soundstage, warm tonal balance, and outstanding long-session comfort. The design features a premium ivory-and-brown palette, large earcups, and plush, replaceable velour pads that create a nearly weightless feel with low clamping force. Sonically, it delivers smooth midranges, airy highs without sibilance, and a clean center image that makes acoustic and orchestral music come alive. It is highly driveable from a standard laptop or phone jack, though its dynamics and transient slam noticeably tighten when paired with a modest desktop DAC or amplifier. The package also provides good versatility by including two detachable cables—a long 3-meter cable with a 6.3 mm plug and a shorter 1.2-meter cable with a 3.5 mm plug. However, the headphones come with significant trade-offs rooted in their physical build and open-back structure. Because they are open-back, they lack isolation, letting outside noise in while leaking substantial audio to the surrounding environment. This makes them poorly suited for noisy public spaces, travel, or shared bedrooms. Portability is further restricted because they do not...

The Sennheiser HD 599 SE is an affordable, lightweight pair of open-back headphones that provides a warm sound profile, a wide soundstage, and strong high-fidelity performance. The reviewer found them exceptionally comfortable for long home studio sessions, praising the large over-ear cups and soft velour cushions. A major pro is the generous inclusion of two detachable cables (long and short) supporting both 3.5mm and 6.35mm jack sizes, alongside a helpful adapter. Additionally, the cables use a "twist and lock" mechanism that securely prevents them from accidentally being pulled out during use. On the downside, the default sound profile leans heavily into the bass, requiring the reviewer to initially adjust their piano's EQ to adapt to the unexpected warmth. Because they are open-back, sound naturally leaks both in and out, making them entirely unsuitable for public environments like trains. Furthermore, while the locking mechanism on the cable is highly practical, it relies on a slightly proprietary 2.5mm driver connection. However, this proprietary drawback is somewhat softened by the fact that the headphone model range is highly prevalent, ensuring third-party replacement cables...

The Sennheiser HD599 offers a smooth, warm, and musical sound signature with an open-back design that delivers a spacious, airy sound. Praised as a "baby mix" of the HD600/650, this headphone serves as an accessible entry point for audiophiles, balancing good left/right channel balance with a fun, non-overwhelming presentation. HeadfoniaConversely, the review notes technical limitations compared to the higher-end 6-series, including a less advanced soundstage, depth, and 3-dimensionality. Additionally, the HD599 features a more relaxed, slower attack compared to its more expensive counterparts, though it remains highly competitive within its price segment.

The SoundGuys review of the Sennheiser HD 599 highlights these open-back headphones as a highly comfortable option featuring plush velour ear pads, user-replaceable cables, and a non-fatiguing, lightly colored sound signature ideal for casual home listening. Key advantages include an extremely lightweight design, though they lack the clinical accuracy required for professional audio mixing due to added warmth and, as an open-back design, offer no isolation from ambient noise. Ultimately rated a 6.5 out of 10, the headphones are deemed an excellent comfort-focused choice for media consumption, despite falling short of true audiophile-grade precision.

The Sennheiser HD 599Go are open-back, over-ear headphones designed for neutral, critical listening, offering a warm and well-balanced sound profile. Their key strengths include a spacious, speaker-like soundstage, exceptional comfort for long-term wear due to a lightweight design, and high breathability. RTINGS.comConversely, the open-back design results in significant sound leakage and zero passive noise isolation, making them unsuitable for noisy environments. Other drawbacks include a lack of low-bass extension, potentially muddy audio, the absence of a companion app or on-cable controls, and a design that is not suitable for sports.

The Major HiFi review by Carroll Moore awards the Sennheiser HD 599 a "Gold" rating, highlighting it as a dynamic, open-back headphone priced at $249 that successfully replaces the older HD 598 model. Structurally, the pros focus heavily on its lightweight design and distinct audio clarity. Constructed mostly from durable plastic, the build effectively reduces both total weight and physical clamping force, which is further enhanced by a thick pleather headband and comfortable velour earpads. Performance-wise, it boasts a relatively low impedance of 50 ohms that makes it highly compatible with mobile devices without mandatory external amplification. Furthermore, its sonic strengths lie in a precise, clean bass impact and an incredibly detailed, rich high end that beautifully renders vocals and strings without crossing into piercing territory. Conversely, the reviewer points out several notable cons regarding the mid-range performance, soundstage depth, and structural limitations. The audio profile suffers from a slight compression in the upper mids, causing male vocals to sound somewhat pinched and weighed down, while the strength of the low end occasionally overwhelms mid-range details. Additionally, the soundstage feels...

The Sennheiser HD 599 is highly regarded on Head-Fi for its warm, immersive sound signature, featuring a wide, airy soundstage that is ideal for, but not limited to, rock and acoustic genres. Pros include exceptional wearing comfort with a lightweight, low-clamp design and ease of driving via smartphones or laptops due to 50-ohm impedance. Cons include a noticeable upper-midbass elevation that can occasionally sound muddy and a recessed midrange, which can affect vocal positioning. Additionally, the construction feels thin and plastic-heavy, while the open-back design offers no sound isolation, making it unsuitable for public use. Read more in the user reviews on Head-Fi.